Loader dirt screen

[nh1520]

Here is a picture of my loader dirt screen. I used some old concrete form 2 x 4s, some 1/2" wire mesh and added some homemade handles. Two brackets hold the screen on the loader during screening and just pick it up to remove it. Works pretty good. We also use it for screening the compost barrel that my wife enjoys - thats why it has the end handles. My problem now is finding some good dry dirt on the clay pile we live on LOL.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Interesting...I have a pile of top soil with glass in it...I suppose the big pieces of glass would stay in the bucket if I made one of these.

What do you do, take it off, get a level bucket, put it back on and dump and shake?

Another potential project for the spring!!

Bill in Pgh, PA

 

[em14]

I made one about a year ago very close to this ... simple, easy, and takes very little time to construct ... works well ... I use a shovel to load it though ... and just move the shovel back and forthe to "screed" the soil ... the bucket is tilted toward the front so that rocks and weeds roll off the screening (1/4" hardware cloth)

 

[nh1520]

It takes awhile to fill a loader bucket full of screened dirt, no doubt. When I'm dragging up enough dirt for the wife to plant all her spring flowers, I end up finding or back dragging a nice pile of topsoil and then start screening. I will fill maybe half the loader bucket and then dump it into my trailer pulled by one of my 140 garden tractors. I repeat this process until I'm either sick of screening or get enough for the days planting - usually the former. I usually end up with more than enough dirt for her needs and she enjoys giving away 5 gallong buckets of this precious dirt to all our family members who always wonder how she comes by so much of this "nice dirt" LOL. Wet or moist dirt has a tendency to stick to the mesh and every so often you have to take the shovel and drag the sticky dirt off. The nice thing about the screen set-up is that you can screen and rescreen until there is nothing left but stones and whatever. Its good exercise and the wife likes it for her flower pots and mixes the screen dirt with peat moss, mushroom manure and her compost. I don't use the screen when filling in low spots around the property - it takes too much time - I just dig up a load and rake off the stones. Now I have all winter to rest up. Happy Thanksgiving to all.